Gas extraction apparatus



Patented Dec. 23, 1952 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE GAS EXTRACTIONAPPARATUS Robert C. Pryor, Keytesville, Mo., assgnor to PhillipsPetroleum Company, a corporation of Delaware 6 Claims.

This invention relates to apparatus for continuously extractinghydrocarbon gases from drilling muds.

In drilling wells, the hydrocarbon content of the drilling mud extractedfrom the well gives valuable information regarding the strata traversedby the drill bit. For example, a high hydrocarbon content may indicatethat the drill bit is penetrating or is adjacent an oil-bearing sandformation.

It is an object of this invention to provide a steam extractor unitwhich is capable of converting practically all of the hydrocarboncompounds in a drilling mud into the gaseous phase and separating thesegases from the mud.

It is another object of the invention to provide apparatus which isreliable in operation, of rugged construction, and which yieldsimproved. results over long periods of time.

Various other objects, advantages and features of the invention willbecome apparent from the following detailed. description taken inconjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which the figure is avertical sectional view of a steam extraction unit.

Referring now to the drawing in detail, l have shown apparatus forcontinuously removing hydrocarbons present in a drilling mud. In thisapparatus, drilling mud is admitted to the bottom of a steam extractorunit l2 wherein the hydrocarbons contained in the mud are converted intothe gaseous phase. Steam is supplied to the extractor unit through aline I9 and water input valves 2! and 22 admit Water to the extractorunit in order to clean out the mud from the interior portions thereof,whenever this is desirable.

Unit l2 includes a generally cylindrical casing having a screw-threadedend portion 26 which is adapted to receive the screw-threaded end of themud inlet line. It will be noted that the casing 25 is divided into aninlet section 21, a jet section 28, and a baffle section 29, thesesections being connected together by collars and 3| so that the casingis essentially a one-piece unit.

The finer particles of mud from the inlet pass through a screen 32 whichis disposed in the inlet section 21. The coarser particles of mud cannotpass through the screen 32 and are discharged through the outlet lineI8.

A conduit 35 receives the mud from the inlet section 21 and this conduitis supported within the casing 25 by a pair of annular members 36 and31, the peripheral portions of which are screw-threaded to the casing 25and the interior portions of which are screw-threaded or otherwisesuitably attached to the conduit 35. These annular mem-bers togetherwith the inner surface of' casing section 28 and the outer surface ofconduit 35 define a sealed chamber 38 to which steam may be admittedthrough the line i9. The conduit 35 also carries a series of jets itwhich inject steam from the chamber 3S to the interior of conduit 35.Each of the jets te includes an interiorly threaded tubular member diwhich is secured within a suitable opening in conduit 35 and these tubesare angularly disposed with respect to the conduit 35 so that the steamadmitted therethrough into the interior of conduit 35 ows co-currentlywith the mud owing from the inlet section 21, but at an acute angle withrespect to the direction of fiow of the mud. A plug i2 is screw-threadedinto the outer end of each tube lll and each plug has a small centralbore or nozzle d3 so that the steam is formed into a jet as it flowstherethrough. The steam injected through the jets it causes the mud tobe thoroughly agitated. This serves to partially separate the entrainedhydrocarbon gases from the mud and the heat of the steam vaporizespractically all of the solid hydrocarbon compounds contained in the mud.

The upper end of conduit 35 is closed by a plug d5 and a series ofperforations llt are formed in the conduit adjacent the plug t5. As aresult, the mud, steam and hydrocarbon particles are forced to passthrough the perforations 565 into a chamber 41 deiined by the interiorwalls of the baie section 29, the outer surface of conduit 35, and theannular member 35. The steam and hydrocarbon particles rise in thechamber t1 together with a considerable amount of the mud particles andthese particles are directed against a series of bales 139 which arespaced at intervals along a tube 5G carried by the plug d5. Each baiiehas several holes 5l at the central portion thereof, the steam andhydrocarbon particles passing through the holes 5l in the successivebailies lis and rising toward the top of the casing 25. A certain amountof the heavier mud particles strike against each of the baffles it anddrop therefrom into the lower part of the chamber i1 with the resultthat the ascending steam and hydrocarbon gas column contains fewer andfewer mud particles as the top of the baie structure is approached. Ofcourse, a large number of the mud particles settle immediately to thebottom of the chamber as they are discharged from the perforations 46and are not carried up to the bafe structure. The mud particles settlingto the bottom of the chamber are removed through outlet I6. A sufficientnumber of baies is utilized so that the steam and hydrocarbon gasesissuing from the openings in the top `baille 49 are practically freefrom mud particles and these gases pass through the opening 53 at thetop of casing 25.

With the described apparatus, substantially all the hydrocarbons areextracted from the mud which flows through the unit l2. Thissubstantially complete extraction is eifected by two actions occurringwithin the unit. The high pressure steam entering through the jets lecauses the mud to be forcibly ejected through the per# forations 46after which it strikes the baffles 49 thereby providing a high degree ofmechanical agitation which is very effective in freeing gaseoushydrocarbons from the mud. In addition, the heat provided by the steamvaporizes the solid hydrocarbons and water contained in the mud whilethe perforated baffles prevent any of the mud from being mixed with thecombined hydrocarbon and water vapor issuing from the unit l2 throughopening 53.

From the foregoing description, it will be rapparent that I haveprovided apparatus for obtaining the objects of my invention. Theextractor unit I2 eifectively removes hydrocarbon gases from thedrilling mud for purposes ofy analysis. The apparatus of my inventionmay be used either to continuously determine the percentage ofhydrocarbons present in the drilling mud or to take samples atpredetermined intervals.

While the invention has been described in connection with a present,preferred embodiment fthereof, it is to be understood that thisdescription is illustrative only and is not intended to limit theinvention.

claim:

l. A unit for extracting hydrocarbon gases from drilling muds whichcomprises, in combination, a casing having inlet means at one endthereof for receiving drilling mud, said inlet means including a screenfor preventing passage of particles therethrough which are of greaterthan a predetermined size, outlet means for oversize particles adjacentthe inlet side of said screen, a conduit extending longitudinally ofsaid casing for receiving the screened particles of mud, a series ofjets for injecting steam into the mud as it flows through said conduitto vaporize a portion of the hydrocarbons therein, a chambercommunicating with said conduit, a series of longitudinally spacedperforated baffles in said chamber for separating the hydrocarbon gasesfrom the drilling mud, outlet means for the drilling mud at the end ofsaid chamber adjacent said conduit, means for injecting a stream ofwater adjacent said bafe structure to wash the mud from said chamber,and outlet means for hydrocarbon gases at the other end of said chamber.

2. A unit for extracting hydrocarbon gases from drilling muds whichcomprises, in combination, an elongated casing, a conduit supportedinside said casing and extending longitudinally thereof, a pair ofspaced annular members positioned in the interspace between said conduitand said casing, said members defining a sealed chamber with theadjacent walls of said casing and said conduit, inlet means yforintroducing steam into said sealed chamber, a series of jets spacedalong said conduit for injecting steam from said chamber into drillingmud flowing through said conduit, a plug closing one end of saidconduit, said conduit having perforations therein ajacent said pluggedend for permitting the flow of drilling mud from said conduit into asecond chamber formed between said conduit and said casing, a bafflestructure carried by said plug and including a series of longitudinallyspaced frusto conical plates, each plate having a plurality of openingsin the central region thereof to permit hydrocarbon gases to passtherethrough but to obstruct the passage of drilling mud, outlet meansfor drilling mud in said second chamber, and outlet means forhydrocarbon gases at-the end of said baie structure remote from saidgplug.

-3. A unitrfor extracting hydrocarbon gases from drilling muds whichcomprises, in combination, a casing having inlet means at one endthereof for receiving drilling mud, said inlet means including a screenfor preventing passage of particles therethrough which are of greaterthan a predetermined size, outlet means for oversize particles adjacentthe inlet ,side of said screen, a conduit supported inside said casingvand extending longitudinally thereof, a pair of spaced annular memberspositioned in the interspace between said conduit and said casing,saidmembers defining a sealed chamber with the adjacent walls of saidcasing and said conduit, inlet means for introducing vsteam into saidsealed chamber, a series of jets spaced along said conduit for injectingsteam from said chamber into drilling mud flowing throughsaid conduit, aplug closing onevend of said conduit, perforations formed, adjacent saidplugged end of saidv conduit for permitting the flow of drilling mudfrom said conduit into a second chamber formed between said conduit andsaid casing, a baille structure carried by said plug and including aseries a longitudinally spaced frusto conical plates, ea'hplate having aplurality of openings in the central region thereof to permithydrocarbon gases to pass therethrough while obstructing passageof saiddrilling mud, outlet means for drilling mud in said second chamber, andoutlet ,means Vfor hydrocarbon gases at the end of said baiflestructureremote from said plug,

4. A unit for extracting hydrocarbonl gases from drilling muds whichcomprises, incombination, a casing having inlet means at one end thereoffor receiving drilling mud, said inlet means including a screen forpreventing passage of particles therethrough which are of greater than apredetermined size, outlet means,v for oversize particles adjacent theinlet side of said screen, a conduit supported inside said casing andextending longitudinally thereof, a pair of lspaced. annular memberspositioned in the interspace between said conduit and said casing, saidmembers defining` a sealed chamber with the adjacent walls of saidcasing and said conduit,inlet for introducing steam into said sealedchamber, va series of jets spaced, along said conduit for injectingsteam from said chamber into drilling mud flowing through said conduit,a plug closing one end ,of said conduit, perforations formed adjacentsaid plugged end of the conduit for permitting the ow of drillingmudYfrom said conduit into a second chamber formed between said conduitand said casing, a baffle structure carried by said plug and including aseries of frusto conical plates spaced longitudinally within saidcasing, each plate having va pluralityof openings, in the central regionthereof .to-permit hydrocarbon gases to pass through the bale structurewhile obstructing passage ofsaid ,drilling mud therethrough, outletmeans for drilling mud in said second conduit, outlet means forhydrocarbon gases at the end of said baie structure remote from saidplug, inlet means for introducing water into the inlet portion of saidconduit, and a water inlet means adjacent said bale structure to washthe mud from said conduit, said screen, and said baie structure.

5. A unit for extracting hydrocarbon gases from drilling muds whichcomprises, in combination, an elongated vertical casing, means forcausing a stream of drilling mud to flow through said casing, a seriesof upwardly directed jets for injecting high pressure steam into saidstream of drilling mud to vaporize a portion of the hydrocarbonstherein, a series of baffles disposed within said casing above said jetsfor separating the hydrocarbon gases from the drillingl mud, saidbafiies being constructed and arranged to impede the flow of mud throughsaid casing and to permit the flow of vapors through said casing, andoutlet means for said vaporized hydrocarbons.

6. An extractor unit comprising, in combina- REFERENCES CITED Thefollowing references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,549,894 Adams Aug. 18, 19252,118,908 Vermillion May 31, 1928 2,243,176 Henst May 27, 194'12,341,169 Wilson et al Feb. 8, 1944 2,428,045 Sharp Sept. 30, 1947

